only if a game uses steamworks, if a game doesn't use steamworks, you can play the game without running steam, as they got a few games that runs fine without steam, but more and more games do use steamworks, so you do need steam running to start the game, but if LT doesn't make use of steamworks, it should be fine

Steamworks is primarily used to add an achievement system to a game right? If I do not need / want achievements in my game, then I can do without Steam. Steam is a distribution platform much like the others, but its methods can be a bit draconian.

I'll strongly agree with the preferring more options comment. While they might not work for distribution of the Kickstarter rewards, Amazon.com might be worth investigating for post-Kickstarter pre-orders and distribution; I fully expect you to have lots of people finding out about the game too late to contribute via Kickstarter but fully interested in getting in on the action when the game is released. Their game library service has treated me very well to date.

Checking with Humble Bundle/Humble store might be worth it as well, I know Natural Selection II handled part of their pre-purchase that way and CastleStory is using it for their prototype distribution and will probably use it for their pre-purchases.

Deej wrote:insolent,
I had no idea that my steam games aren't actually mine.
Hmm, I guess the ownership point is moot considering most games nowdays authenticate online before they'll even let you start playing.
So I've kinda expected that if the servers get decomissioned then it's pretty much game over.

Just for completeness sake, and to point something out to Steam nay-sayers: You don't own your physical media either. What you own is a LICENSE to use the media on the disc, which can be revoked by the company issuing said license at any time, and for any reason. I'd recommend carefully and thoroughly reading the agreements they force down your throat when you install a game.

To be honest, I wouldn't worry overly much. No company is ever going to get away with leaving players completely unable to play their game from a legal point of view. Even if Valve/Steam would collapse, the companies which released their games there would go out of their way to enable you to play their game or the planet would be too small to contain the fury of PC gamers everywhere.

Just use whatever you're most comfortable with and what works for you.

Evil Tactician wrote:Just for completeness sake, and to point something out to Steam nay-sayers: You don't own your physical media either. What you own is a LICENSE to use the media on the disc, which can be revoked by the company issuing said license at any time, and for any reason. I'd recommend carefully and thoroughly reading the agreements they force down your throat when you install a game.

The difference is that as long as I have access to the physical media, I can use it regardless. The same is not true for DRM-download content.

Case in point is Amazon and the Kindle: Amazon reserves the right to completely erasing your Kindle's memory anytime, at their own discretion, without any prior warning, if they suspect you of some misuse of their license. And they have done this already. This couldn't happen so easily of they would ship their ebooks as CDs.

Evil Tactician wrote:
Just for completeness sake, and to point something out to Steam nay-sayers: You don't own your physical media either. What you own is a LICENSE to use the media on the disc, which can be revoked by the company issuing said license at any time, and for any reason. I'd recommend carefully and thoroughly reading the agreements they force down your throat when you install a game.

To be honest, I wouldn't worry overly much. No company is ever going to get away with leaving players completely unable to play their game from a legal point of view. Even if Valve/Steam would collapse, the companies which released their games there would go out of their way to enable you to play their game or the planet would be too small to contain the fury of PC gamers everywhere.

Steam/Valve collapsing is not the issue that concerns me. You're right that many developers might make an effort to give you another way to access their games that were formerly on Steam if that happened, but I'm not convinced they all would.

Commander McLane wrote:Case in point is Amazon and the Kindle: Amazon reserves the right to completely erasing your Kindle's memory anytime, at their own discretion, without any prior warning, if they suspect you of some misuse of their license. And they have done this already. This couldn't happen so easily of they would ship their ebooks by CD.

That is my problem with Steam. If you disagree with a change they make to their Subscriber Agreement, such as adding mandatory arbitration like they've already done, and you don't hit the "I Agree" button when Steam updates, you no longer have access to any of the games you've shelled out good money for. Sorry, license revoked. At least with physical media you can feel free to ignore the licensor when they revoke your license and keep playing the game you bought anyway. Moreover, I'm not sure what circumstance would arise where the licensor of a physical disc would contact you and tell you to stop using it...?

Yep, it's very much about the actual control you have over your media, which i why i prefer GoG's DD 'ideology' over all others. Having said that Steam is huge, and any indie would want exposure on that platform just because so many more people will see your game. Between just GoG and Desura you can get pretty decent coverage, but you really want that Steam release to hit the big numbers. Luckily GoG seems to be growing quite nicely these days, so maybe in the future that reliance on Steam won't be so important to get good returns?

I am totaly happy with a DRM free copy.
Direct funding: direct distribution, thats why i am pledging(supporting) independant games, no third party addware needed
It may be because of my age, but i love to have have control over what i am paying for!

I haven't seen anyone referring to this, but it might be a good idea to create a Steam Greenlight page at some point. I believe it is now the primary way for indie developers to get their games listed on Steam (I could almost swear I read some news piece that said it's now made mandatory for new developers, but I can't find it right now), and Limit Theory even in its current state can benefit from it given that it represents a rarely seen genre and it's already in good shape for a project in development.

Who should submit their games to Steam Greenlight? Is there another way to submit my game to Steam?
Steam Greenlight has replaced our previous submission process. Any developer or publisher who is new to Steam and interested in submitting their game to the platform should submit their game through Steam Greenlight.